Custom Product Navigation

Product navigation in Microsoft Dynamics NAV is organized in
the two level structure: the first level is 'Item Category'
and the second is 'Product Group'. Usually, the two-level
navigation is enough for general use, but sometimes there are
situations when more levels (sub-categories) or another navigation
structure other than Item Category/Product Group is required. In
this case, the 'custom' product navigation, can be used.
To enable it please read
this chapter in the 'Configuration'
section.

The custom navigation allows the creation of many levels of
navigation. The default theme used in the Starter Site
currently supports three level navigation but the quantity of
levels can be increased if needed.

In order to use the custom navigation the form 'SC -
Navigation' is used. It is located in the 'Sana Commerce Live' menu
item.

'SC - Navigation' Window

This window stores all the navigation items. Each of them has
the several fields, which are described in the table below:

Name

Description

Code

The code of a navigation item. This is a required field.

Description

The name of a navigation item, which is displayed in web
store.

Visible in Webshop

This check-box is used to set the visibility of a navigation
item in web store.

Filter

This field specifies the filter in NAV format.

The navigation item of the first level is marked bold.
Navigation items of the lower levels can be distinguished by indent
on the left side in the 'Description' field.

The Structure of Custom Navigation Tree

In order to specify the level of each navigation item the
'arrow' buttons on the bottom part of the window are used. The
buttons
specify the navigation level of an item while the
buttons
are used to change its position in the navigation tree.

There are two possible ways of creating a new navigation
item:

By clicking on the next empty row in the window. Each new
created item will have the first level of navigation by
default;

By pressing the 'F3' button. In this case, a new navigational
item will have the same level of navigation as the item that was
selected before. It will be also situated above this selected
item.

The description of a navigation item can have translations to
other languages. In case of selecting the language in the
'Language' dropdown in web store the description of an item
will be displayed in the following language. To specify the
translation for a navigation item:

Select the navigation item;

Click the 'Translations' button;

Select the language from the 'Language' window;

Add the translation;

Close the 'Translations' window.

'Translations' Windows Overview

If the 'Description' field is not specified the code of a
navigation item is displayed in web store instead.

To create a filter:

Select a navigation item;

Click the button
that is displayed in the 'Filter' field. 'Navigation Filter' window
will be opened;

Select the item field name from the list. The 'Field List'
window represents all the normal and active fields that are
available in the 'Items' window. The filter will be applied to this
selected field;

Several filters can be applied for one navigation item but
only for different fields.

Selecting the Item Field Name

Create a filter using standard NAV criteria. You can read more
about the filter criteria in the NAV documentation;

New Filter is Created

Close the 'SC - Navigation' window to save changes.

Custom Product Navigation in Action

'Inherit Filter From Parent' Option
For custom navigation, the option 'Inherit filter from parent' is
available. It can be enabled in the 'Options' window (follow
this link to know more). When this option is enabled, the
navigation item from the lower level inherits filter from the
navigation item of the upper level. If two navigation items have
filters on the same filed, the navigation item with the filter of
the lower level overrides the navigation item with the filter of
the higher level.

If the option 'Inherit filter from parent' is disabled, only the
filter for the navigation item of the lower level is used.

Main Navigation Code
Any product can be connected to multiple navigation items when
using the custom navigation. In this case the system cannot
determine which navigation path is valid on the 'Product details'
page. To solve the situation a special field called 'Main
navigation code' was added to the 'Item Card' (tab 'E-Commerce').
By selecting the navigation node in this field a user can clearly
specify the valid navigation path for an item.

Main navigation code is also used to generate the URL
for the 'Product Details' page as a direct link from pages on
which the link to a product details page is
available ('Shop Homepage', 'Search Page', 'Related Products'
and others).

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